This year marks the 53rd annual Pumpkin Roll to be held in historic Knights Ferry on Sunday, Nov. 6. It is always held on the first Sunday after Halloween.

According to Tracy Griesner, chairman of the contest, the object of the ‘pumpkin roll’ game is to stand at one end of the pumpkin roll area and roll your favorite pumpkin down Main Street. The winner is the one who gets the closest to the chalked finish line. There are five categories from preschool to senior citizen, with male and female trophy winners in each one.

Every year a pick-up load of pumpkins is donated by George Perry and Sons of Manteca, one of the area’s largest growers.

Sign-ups start at 11 a.m. in front of the Knights Ferry Community Club. A small donation is the registration fee. Competitors up to five years old start the pumpkins rolling at noon on the tennis courts. The main event for those six years and older begins at 1 p.m.

Start the day with the pancake breakfast at the IOOF Hall on Main Street from 8 a.m. until noon.

A craft faire with holiday gift ideas will be open in the Club House – as well as good. The Garden Club will have their famous pumpkin roll desserts on sale.

The Museum will be open, upstairs in Miller’s Hall. The Ice Cream Shop will also be open.

This should also be an excellent opportunity to see if the salmon have made it up the Stanislaus River as far as Knights Ferry. The new bridge is a favorite place to view them.

For additional information, call 881-3314 or 881-3217.